NEWS

NADA is proud to launch the second edition of Access and equity: Working with diversity in the alcohol and other drugs setting.

Improving access and equity for those seeking alcohol and drugs (AOD) treatment is crucial for its effectiveness. This resource provides principles and examples of best practice approaches for working with the following populations: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, gender and sexuality diverse people, older people and people with disabilities.

It provides information on how to improve access and equity in the following areas: workforce development for AOD service staff, service access, retention and outcomes.

Research commissioned by NADA, and conducted by the Centre for Social Research in Health, found, ‘one of the key compelling issues for those working in the…[AOD] sector concerns the reported difficulties that clients have in accessing treatment, sustaining their engagement with treatment, and maintaining their positive outcomes in the post-treatment period’ (Bryant et al. 2020, p.9).

For people from diverse population, there are often additional barriers to accessing AOD services. Factors that can inhibit the accessibility of services include ageism, discrimination towards people with disabilities, a lack of awareness about gender and sexuality diverse identities, and lack of cultural safety for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and for people from culturally and linguistically backgrounds.

View the resource.